Happy National Fossil Day!

The 2012 National Fossil Day logo, from the National Park Service website.

The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology starts today, and the morning has already been full of great talks. But it's also the 3rd year that National Fossil Day is being celebrated. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has a bunch of great events going on all day, as do many other museums, parks, and centers across the country. Be sure to check out the National Fossil Day website for events in your area, and celebrate discovery, science, and prehistoric life!

(This post will be updated with images, links, and additional goodies as soon as I can find that reliable Wi-Fi hot spot I so desperately seek. If you're at #2012SVP and you know where it is, let me know @Superoceras. Thanks!)

Happy National Fossil Day!

Another year has past, and with it, we've seen a number of paleontological discoveries. I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood to celebrate!  And what better day than the second annual National Fossil Day™ to do just that! I'm a huge fan of this year's mosasaur/ammonite logo, and of this year's local activities, both in Maryland and the District of Columbia.  I highly encourage all of you to find something to do in your area, as both the American Geological Institute and the National Park Service have gone to great lengths to make sure there are tons of events going on across the country both today, and this week. Can't make it to a National Fossil Day event? Maybe an activity at home or school is a better option for you. The kickoff event begins today on the National Mall at 10:00AM, but regardless of where you are or what you're doing, be sure to take a moment to explore, learn about, and protect our nations prehistoric heritage.

The 1st Annual National Fossil Day

It's finally here! The American Geological Institute and the National Park Service have combined forces to bring us the first annual National Fossil Day. Now I'm obviously of the opinion that we should celebrate fossils every day, but I think a national day of recognition is a pretty good deal too. The point of the whole affair is to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value. From stromatolites to Seismosaurus, Climactichnites to coprolites, fossils have a lot to teach us about a world long gone, but hardly forgotten.

So how will you be celebrating? I've got a day full of talks and posters as SVP 2010 comes to a close. There are also some pretty cool things going on at the Carnegie Museum. For those of you back home in the DC area, stop by the National Mall or the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History - there will be a ton of stuff going on there as well. Are you out in the southwest region of the country? The Trail of Time is set to open at Grand Canyon National Park. So many things to do, so many places to be, so little time. So everyone get out there and celebrate National Fossil Day!